WELCOME TO DARNALL FORUM'S COMMUNITY BLOG, with news and information about Darnall and the Forum. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter @darnallForum or subscribe to our RSS news feed by entering your email address in the window at the foot of this page.

Friday, 9 July 2010

An excellent opportunity, working up to 16 hours per week on a rota between 9.00am - 5.30pm over five 1/2 days, has arisen at the new post office in Darnall. Subject to who else is appointed to the team there may be scope for agreeing certain set hours each week.

The main duties are serving customers, selling Post Office products and services, cash handling and advising on other Post Office related matters. You will also conduct general customer service and retail duties. Any keyboard, EPOS and proven communication skills with the public would be of great benefit. The appointee will be able to work quickly and accurately in a busy environment and preferably have cash handling experience. Patience and a helpful, friendly manner are essential attributes.

If you want to know more, please apply today by contacting alicia.lloyd@cffe.org.uk or Nazia on 0114 249 0099

An excellent opportunity has arisen to manage a busy Post Office in Darnall, Sheffield.

Darnall Forum currently have an exciting opportunity for a Post Office Manager to join their new Post Office team and manage the day to day operational activities whilst looking to utilise the positioning and footfall of the Post Office to provide additional retail based income streams.

You will need to have previous Post Office, finance or retail experience, experience of team leadership or management and must be passionate about driving sales and delivering excellence in customer service.

This is a fantastic opportunity for you to really get involved with a business and work autonomously as a manager, looking at ways to increase sales and generating year on year improvement.

The post office turnover runs on low weekly margins, so it is vital that you have the correct number of staff available at all times to ensure the best possible levels of customer service and that all aspects of the business are handled efficiently and effectively. It is key that the whole range of post office services and the other income streams are brought to customers' attention as appropriate to aid sales and turnover.

Key skills will include a strong work ethic, the ability to delegate, attention to detail, excellent numeracy, being an excellent communicator across a diverse customer and staff base, the ability to think on your feet and an entrepreneurial flair.

If you have previous Post Office or retail or finance experience, and are looking for a full time, permanent position then please apply today by contacting alicia.lloyd@cffe.org.uk or Nazia on 0114 249 0099

Darnall's new post office will open on Tuesday 31 August. It will be based in Darnall Forum's offices at 245 Main Road, which are being remodelled to make room for a modern post office and shop with four counters. The post office will provide

passport checking

foreign currency

travel insurance

home and car insurance

moneygrams

parelforce guaranteed

next-day delivery

the full range of parcel and postal services

stamps

cards, stationery, toys and confectionery

The People's Post Office

But this will be a post office with a difference. Neil Bishop, Darnall Forum's Manager said, 'This really will be "The People's Post Office" because it belongs to the people of Darnall. Anyone who lives or works in Darnall, Attercliffe and Acres Hill can join Darnall Forum and have a say in how the post office is run because Darnall Forum owns the new post office and any profit we make, after we have paid the post office staff and all the bills and running costs, will be ploughed back into local services for people in Darnall. And it is the members of the Forum who decide the sort of services which the Forum should provide at our annual general meeting.'

Local councillors have been instrumental in helping the post office to open for business again. They persuaded the East Community Assembly to make a grant of £10,000 towards the set-up costs. MP Clive Betts has also given the Forum his support and campaigned to get Post Office Ltd, which runs the post office network, to agree a groundbreaking deal which will allow Darnall Forum itself to be responsible for the post office instead of a sub-postmaster.

Chair of the Forum, Sylvia Hamilton, said, 'Darnall needs a post office. Many people here found it very difficult to travel to Attercliffe or Handsworth, or into town, to get the things they need. And the local shopping centre needs a post office, too. That's why we decided we had to do something to help.'

Mr Betts told The Herald: "The Darnall Forum team deserve a great deal of credit for a superb achievement."

The post office will open for business on Tuesday 31 August at 9am. Its opening hours will be 9 - 5.30 on weekdays and 9 - 12.30 on Saturdays.

Local councillors are calling another community meeting, at 6.30pm on 20 July in Church of Christ, Main Road, Darnallto bring local people up-to-date on what is happening about the proposals for a Gypsy and Traveller site in Darnall. The proposal to use the Ross Street site has now been dropped by the Council after pressure from local residents and councillors, but Cllr Mary Lea warned that there are other sites which the report identifies in our area. "We need to be vigilant about this," she said.

The City Council has announced that the consultation about Gypsy and Traveller sites is on hold until later in the year, while it waits to hear from government about new planning guidelines. However, Councillor Harry Harpham said, "Although we are no longer being consulted about this, and although Ross Street is no longer being considered, the issue has not gone away. Your councillors share the concerns of local people about creating a new Gypsy and Traveller site in Darnall and are 110% behind you. It is critical to keep collecting signatures on petitions and reminding the Council about how we feel."

Councillors and local residents are concerned that Darnall does not have the health and education facilities to cope with a Gypsy and Traveller site on top of other new housing developments which have already caused concern, especially about school places in a part of the city with a relatively young population. Cllr Lea said, "These proposals were called in for scrutiny and we want to be able to tell residents exactly what happened at the special scrutiny board meeting, as well as what we did with the petitions which people have collected."

The Council are no longer consulting on the three proposed sites for Gypsy and Travellers, including the one proposed for Darnall, as part of its current consultation on the Sheffield Development Framework.The Council has called the decision to include the sites in the draft consultation documents in for scrutiny.This means that the issue of Gypsy and Traveller sites will be looked at in more detail by members of the Scrutiny Committee on 6th July.

The City Council, as local planning authority, is currently required to allocate enough land in its development plan to meet future needs for Gypsy and Traveller sites.However, the Government has recently announced that they will be making changes to the process giving councils more local discretion. This may have implications for the assessment of need and the number of sites that are required. The Council expects to be doing more work on this issue, including consultation, but until the new guidance is published it is not clear what the Council will be required to do, so they have shelved this issue for the time being.The Council has in the meantime kept all the concerns which were sent to them.

Questions from members of the public:

Question: What are we to do with the petitions which the Councillors have circulated?

Councillor Harpham said that although we are no longer being consulted about this, the issue has not gone away. The Councillors share the concerns of local people and are 110% behind them. It is critical to keep collecting signatures on petitions. This will mean residents can be kept informed by letter about what is happening. There will be another public meeting after 6th July. The Councillors will hand in the petitions collected so far at the next Council meeting and they will continue to present them on a rolling basis.

Question: What about the Gypsies who are already living in Darnall without permission?

The concerns of residents were noted.

Question: Why had a meeting been called during the daytime when a lot of people cannot come?

Neil Bishop explained that we are holding a few daytime meetings as well as our regular evening meetings to help a wider cross-section of residents to get their views across. Evening meetings are not always well attended.

Question: How many sites have been proposed in areas where Liberal Democrat voters are in the majority?

Seven

Question: What about the problems that have been associated with other Gypsy and Traveller sites?

Residents noted that a lot of money has been spent on other sites – such as Woodburn Road – and then they have closed. Concerns were expressed about anti-social behaviour affecting local residents. There was a feeling that money had been wasted on Gypsy and Traveller facilities which then were not used.

Lyn Brandon said that Gypsy and Traveller sites are now being managed by Sheffield Homes. The PCT has found from its work that Gypsies and Travellers have much poorer health than other people and face a lot of racism. She is working on sites at Redmire and Mosborough which are very well run and where families stay for a long time. There are already Gypsies living in Darnall and they don’t cause any unusual problems.

Question: Could new bus companies be brought into Darnall? First Bus is not an adequate service provider.

The comment was noted but this is not a matter which the city council to decide.

Question: When is the regeneration of Darnall going to begin? It doesn’t seem likely in the lifetime of older people.

A resident commented that she did not wish to stereotype Gypsies and Travellers as she knew that many must be good citizens but the experience of people in Darnall had unfortunately been a lot more negative and we need to make sure that people living on sites are willing to conform to social norms and laws. Councillor Harpham said the real issue was about whether the area had the capacity to absorb a significant number of extra Gypsy and Traveller residents given the pressures on local services.

Sheffield Development Framework

Debbie Merrill from Development Services gave a presentation about the latest stage of the Sheffield Development Framework.She presented a draft of the City Policies and Sites document and Proposals Map now available for consultation and comment.The draft plan presents guidance on how the city should develop in the future and the presentation was made with particular reference to Darnall and the surrounding neighbourhoods.The documents can be read on the Council website or at Darnall Library.Comments on the draft documents can be made to:www.sheffield.gov.uk/sdfconsult or by email to sdf@sheffield.gov.uk

There is a formal six week consultation period until the 30th July.Changes will be made to the documents after the consultation.A final version will be sent to government next year and should be approved by December 2012, so we are very much at a draft stage of the process.

Question: Nothing ever seems to happen at the end of all the reviews and plans. It all seems utopian. When will we see regeneration happen?

Debbie Merrill said it is a legal function of the Council to put plans in place. However, these plans are often affected by 1,001 other issues including the economy. Maria Duffy said it is not an investment plan; it is a planning framework so that if developers come forward with proposals we can see how they might fit into the vision of what the council would like to happen in the area.

Question: Are we still going to get the new primary care clinic?

It is going through legal processes within the PCT and the Strategic Health Authority to get the necessary permissions in place.

Question: Residents of Handsworth Crescent had a battle royal, helped by Clive Betts, to get someone to remove an unauthorised scrap yard from greenbelt land. Why were planners not more aware that this was happening?

Councillor Lea said she had been reporting the issue for a long time, but the businessman concerned was very clever and it was difficult to enforce the removal of the scrap yard. Councillor Harpham said the Council cannot employ enough people to patrol all the greenbelt sites in Sheffield so we are reliant on local residents. Council officers then need to take action.

Question: We have some of the worst air pollution in the country. Could the railway bridge be widened on Prince of Wales Road to relieve the bottleneck there, which causes increased pollution?

Councillor Harpham said this was a highways issue.

Councillor Lea asked if 40% of new homes still need to be affordable housing?

Regional planning guidance has been abolished but the Council is now awaiting new national planning guidance.

Darnall Post Office

Neil Bishop gave an update about the Post Office, which will reopen soon in Darnall Forum’s premises.

Attendance: Cllrs H Harpham, M Iqbal, M Lea and 110 members of the local community.

Cllr Harpham gave an introduction and some background information about the sites mentioned in the report and the reason for the proposals. There had been no previous discussion with local councillors and they found out 10 days ago before it went to cabinet. The public meeting has been arranged to give the public the chance to air their views. The councillors personally leafleted the area to let people know about the plans and this meeting.

Cllr Harpham said we want to argue against the proposals and explain why it is wrong to have a site in Darnall. We feel that there has not been enough consultation as no one knows about the plan. It is wrong that the owners of the land didn’t even know about it and the whole community found out by reading it in the press. The purpose of meeting was

1)to receive views from the public on why we believe it is wrong

2)to apply pressure on the council

3)to encourage residents to attend the scrutiny board and cabinet meeting and sign the councillors’ petition.

If we don’t voice our opinions then the proposal will go ahead. Darnall Forum sill help to represent people’s views.

The following views/concerns were raised by members of the community:

Q1) Why not take a show of hands?The purpose of the meeting was to listen to the arguments for and against, however it was clear that the meeting did not support the findings of the report.

Q2) We already have a site, why are we getting another?Councillors and residents agreed that we can’t afford to have a site in Darnall because it is already a deprived area and it will disadvantage it even more.

Q3) Would you like it outside your door?Whitwell Street has had major problems for 33 years and nothing has been done.It has been linked to anti social behaviour, fly-tipping and prostitution and it is overrun with rats and so it doesn’t seem a suitable location for a group of vulnerable people. Councillors reminded the meeting that there has been no consultation at all about the choice of sites.

Q4) We shouldn’t just leave it to the councillors.Shouldn’t we all do something collectively to keep up the pressure up about the sites in Darnall?

Q5) What about the purpose built site near Centertainment which was wrecked/destroyed/vandalised?

Q6) How will the Lift project be affect ed?

Q7) Why should we have a site in Sheffield anywhere?What legislation is there for this?Have we voted for a site? The requirement to consider appropriate sites came from central government but councillors were not consulted about the criteria which should be followed in selecting what is an appropriate site.

Q8) Where will we park?

Q9) Can we have a list of email addresses or contact details to whom we can write?Residents can drop off comments or letters to Darnall Forum ans these will be passed onto councillors

Q10) Doctors’ surgeries are already over crowded and schools are full.Aren’t traffic problem going to increase with travellers here as well?

Q11) How can we sustain an additional community group when we already desperately need regeneration?

Q12) Why provide new sites when the previous ones have sometimes been closed?

Q13) How much will it cost for infrastructure for the site?Approximately 1 million pounds. The Council would expect Sheffield Homes to maintain the site.

Q15) Why have so many sites been selected in our area and not in areas where the Lib Dems are in control? Why have they identified the site chosen for our medical centre?

The meeting agreed unanimously that Darnall was not a satisfactory location.

The councillors went on to say that they will do as much as they can as local representatives of the community and they are 110% behind this decision.They can represent the views of the community but their influence will be stronger if the community is seen to be behind them, which they are.

Councillors also said that it is Important to have a steering committee drawn from the public with about 5-8 members to represent Darnall to the scrutiny board and the full council meeting, and to present the petition on behalf of Darnall.

Mary Lea – Post Office Update

Darnall Forum has developed a social enterprise to run the local post office. For months now Neil Bishop, the manger, has looked into loans and funds and the Forum has also received £10,000 backing from the Council for this. He attended an interview and has been successful in his application to reopen the post office which should hopefully be completed by September.There must be an 8 week consultation process to see if the community are happy with the idea.

A show of hands was taken and everybody supported the Post Office.

The Lift Project is still going ahead.

The Ward Brothers have been asked to revise their plans and are meeting with the Council.

It was agreed that the community can come into Darnall Forum to get contact details for local councillors and also use Darnall Forum as somewhere to leave comments – so councillors can pick them up and collate the information.

Tuesday, 6 July 2010

Mushtaq Tufail (BBC SHEFFIELD) interviewing Clive Betts MP at High Hazel's Park in Darnall on Sunday 13 May during the the Boshaki Mela which celebrates the new year. Despite funding issues the local community managed the event on a shoestring budget with a small grant from the East Community Assembly. The majority of the cost was sponsored by the businessmen who paid for stalls and exhibitions.

Links to other useful sites

How to join in

1) Follow us on Twitter @darnallforum2) To post a comment, click on the link beneath the post or previous comment to which you want to respond and write your message in the box.3) Complete the word recognition box, which is designed to stop spam.4) Then, if you have one, you can enter your Google username and password.5) Alternatively, you can click 'other' and enter your real name, or a nickname which you would like us to display, or you can click 'anonymous'.6) Then click 'Publish'. Your message will be sent to us for checking.7) We will know who you are but, if you have used a nickname or chosen to be anonymous, no one else will know.

Meet some of the staff

Left to right: Nazia, Neil, Shabana and Rahat

Our Chairperson

Mothiur Ra hman is the Forum's Chairperson

How our community team can help

Nazia, Neil and Zahira are the friendly voices on the end of the phone line when you call us and the people who deal with your visits, letters and emails.

They work closely with community groups and individuals who want to make a difference to Darnall. Nazia gives help and advice to people looking for work or training and is our adult community learning champion. Zahira runs various community development programmes.

We also have a team of adult community learning tutors who work closely with us. They help us run courses in IT, ESOL, employment skills, driving theory and other subjects.

If you want help with something which isn't listed here, and you live in Attercliffe, Darnall or Acres Hill, why not give us a ring anyway and we'll try to signpost you to the right place.

More about us

Darnall Forum’s day to day business is managed by a Board of local volunteers. Its vision statement is:

To create a listening space for the community, and

To work in partnership with other agencies and organisations to improve local services and help regenerate Darnall.

The Forum has four part-time staff who with local people to implement a Community Action Plan that was drawn-up after extensive consultation with all sections of the local community. The members of the Forum Board are drawn from the different faith and ethnic groups represented in the area and are elected by the members of the Forum at its AGM.

Darnall Forum is currently funded by Sheffield City Council, the European Social Fund and a small number of charitable trusts.

Darnall Forum also trades under the names D F Enterprise and Darnall Forum Trading, which reopened the community post office in 2010 and ran it for nearly eight years.

Consulting about our Community Action Plan

Here are the logos of some of the agencies which fund us.

The Main Aims of Darnall Forum are:

To create a forum where people can meet to raise issues of local concern, where the agenda is set by local people and where leadership and direction remain with local people.

To work together as women, men, young people, elders, black, white, disabled or able-bodies, of different faiths or none, recognising, respecting and valuing our differences.

To form links with key agencies and local enterprises in order to work in partnership with them, discuss their role in the area and – where necessary – challenge them.

To gather resources to support and deliver initiatives begun and supported by local people.

To ensure that there is a clear and agreed process by which the Forum makes and acts upon its decisions, and to ensure that the Forum Board is accountable to the membership.

Sheffield City Council Logo

What sort of organisation are we?

Darnall Forum is a voluntary sector organisation. It is a company limited by guarantee, (No. 03644311), and a registered charity (No. 1121396).

The Forum Board is made up of seven elected members of the Forum.

The Forum's charitable aims are urban regeneration and community development and community development.

European Social Fund

How to get in touch with us

T0114 249 0099Edarnallforum@gmail.com

Or you can write, or call in, to our offices at245 Main RoadDarnallSheffieldS9 4QD

Darnall Forum

Darnall Forum runs Darnall Post Office, provides employment advice and adult community learning, and brings together people who live and work in Darnall, Acres Hill and Attercliffe, a multi-faith and multicultural neighbourhood in Sheffield 9.